Plant sale to be held Saturday at Farmers Market

The CSRA Hydrangea Society is bringing the colors of summer to the Aiken County Farmers Market on Saturday.

The society's 2010 Plant Sale opens to the public at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 5 at the Farmers Market. The sale will remain open until the stock of plants sells out, according to Irv Magin, director of the society.

"We're going to have over 50 varieties of hydrangeas; that's something you're not going to find at any nursery," Magin said. "Something that's new at this year's sale, we're going to sell companion plants as well as hydrangeas. These will be shade-loving varieties because a lot of our hydrangeas grow in shade, and these can grow along with them in the same area. We've got 20 varieties of companion plants, including ferns, hostas, heucheras and Solomon's seals."

Among the hydrangea varieties on hand Saturday will be the Edgy, the Lemon Daddy, White Diamonds, Bits of Lace, Let's Dance and City Line species.

The hydrangeas and companion plants on offer at the sale are professionally grown at commercial nurseries, according to Magin.

Among the advantages to buying at the society's plant sale is the opportunity to speak with experienced, knowledgeable hydrangea growers in the society, he said.

"Most people think hydrangeas are just shade plants, but we sell varieties that do well in full sun - in fact, they require full sun. We'll also have hydrangeas growing in tree forms. We have two new suppliers this year, so we'll have varieties nobody else here has," he said.

The group's members will have literature on the proper care and feeding of hydrangeas, information about the Hydrangea Society and information about the society's upcoming seminar scheduled for next month.

Proceeds from the annual plant sale go to the society's grants fund and for the group's educational programs.

For more information about the sale or about the CSRA Hydrangea Society, visit www.csrahydrangeasociety.org.

Contact Suzanne Stone at sstone@aikenstandard.com.